QUAYLE HITS DEMOCRATS FOR DEFICIT

Jean DavidsonCHICAGO TRIBUNE

Vice President Dan Quayle said Friday that President Bush is reluctantly considering new taxes to repair damage done to the national budget because of ''unchecked spending sprees'' by the Democratic-controlled Congress.

An unabashedly partisan Quayle urged election of more Republicans, a continued strong defense and preservation of the American family in a speech at the Republican National Committee`s summer meeting at the Fairmont Hotel.

''The president is willing to go the extra mile in seeking to forge a budget agreement that would be good for America,'' Quayle told a luncheon gathering of about 150 state and national chairmen. ''He`s even willing to consider tax revenue increases.

''But tax revenue increases will only be one element of a budget deal. . . . Today, I call on the congressional Democrats to come forth with their proposed spending cuts. Their silence on this issue, as usual, is deafening.'' Referring to the challenge in Illinois by Republican U.S. Rep. Lynn Martin to Democratic Sen. Paul Simon, Quayle said election of Republicans to the Senate in November is particularly important.

right here in Illinois. . . .,'' Quayle said. ''With victories in . . . six states, we would win control of the Senate.''

If the GOP wins five of the challenged seats, resulting in an even split between Democrats and Republicans in the Senate, Quayle said, ''as your vice president, it will be my honor and my pleasure to preside over the Senate and to cast tie-breaking vote after tie-breaking vote to help put George Bush`s agenda into action.''

Quayle took swipes at the Democratic governors of New Jersey, New York and Massachusettes for raising taxes and harboring presidential ambitions, but he took pains not to name any of them.

''Of course, the principal qualification of a Democratic candidate for president is the desire to raise taxes,'' Quayle quipped.

The vice president hit on several other familiar themes, calling crime rates too high, educational standards too low and the fight against communism far from over.